Best budget phones you can buy (November 2018)

November 20, 2018

Best budget phones you can buy (November 2018)

There are a lot of great phones out there, but many cost well over $500. If you want a good phone without spending a lot of money, You’ve got options. There are plenty of bad cheap phones, but a low price doesn’t have to mean low quality.

In 2018, a lot of budget phone options are made with high quality, premium parts. In this guide, let’s look at what we feel are the best cheap phones you’ll find, ranging from as low as $90 to just a tad over $500.

Moto G6 and G6 Play

moto g6 and g6 play compared size

While Moto’s flagships have been more than a little uninspired of late, the same can’t be said for the Moto G6 and G6 Play. These two phones offer an exceptional flagship quality build, paired with mid-range specs to keep the price down. The G6 family is easily two of the best cheap phones on the market today.

The Moto G6 is powered by a Snapdragon 450 with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage with microSD support, and a 3,000mAh battery. The dual-camera setup pairs 12 and 5MP lenses, with an 8MP shooter on the front. You also get a 5.7-inch 18:9 display with a 1080p resolution.

The Moto G6 Play shares the same gorgeous design, with a more modest Snapdragon 427, 2GB RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 4,000mAh battery, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP selfie snapper, and a 5.7-inch 720p display. Probably the best thing about the Moto G6 and G6 Play is their support every U.S. carrier out of the box. It’s also worth noting the Oreo-based software is very close to stock, with no major bloat to deal with.

The Moto G6 starts at just $220 for Prime users, while the Moto G6 Play can be found for just $190 with Prime.

moto g6 and g6 play back side compared

Specs

Moto G6

5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 407ppi
Snapdragon 450 chipset
3/4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
12 and 5MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 3,000mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
153.8 x 72.3 x 8.3mm, 167g

Moto G6 Play

5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 1,440 x 720 resolution, 282ppi
Snapdragon 427 chipset
2/3GB of RAM
16/32GB of on-board storage, expandable up to 128GB
13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
155.4 x 72.2 x 9.1mm, 180g

Get the Moto G6 on Amazon

Get the Moto G6 Play on Amazon

Honor 7x

honor 7x

The Honor 7x is the latest low-cost budget flagship from Huawei’s Honor brand, yet it still has high-end features that make it one of the most attractive cheap phones for any buyer.

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One of its standout features is its 5.93-inch display with very little in terms of bezels, along with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a 1080p resolution. Inside, it has Huawei’s in-house Kirin 659 octa-core processor running four cores at 2.36GHz and four at 1.7GHz and with a Mali T830 GPU.

In terms of software, you are getting Android 7.0 Nougat with Huawei’s EMUI 5.1 interface on top. Depending on the market, you will get either 3GB or 4GB of RAM inside, along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage, with a microSD card slot to expand that up to 256GB. The rear camera setup has a 16MP primary sensor, along with a secondary 2MP sensor that can handle features like portrait mode. It also has an 8MP front-facing camera. Finally, it has a 3,340mAh battery, which should last up to a day with regular phone use.

In the U.S., you can buy the Honor 7x right now for just $199.99.

Specs

5.91-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 407ppi
Kirin 659 chipset
3/4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
Dual 12 and 2MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 3,340mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6mm, 165g

Get it from Honor

Xiaomi Mi A2

xiaomi mi a2

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is one of the best cheap phones out there due to its great price-performance ratio. The phone starts at just 250 euros (~$295), is powered by the Snapdragon 660 chipset, comes with 4 or 6GB of RAM, and sports a 6-inch Full HD+ display. It also has a premium metal body, with a dual-camera setup on the back.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is part of the Android One family.

Additionally, the successor to the Mi A1 is part of Google’s Android One program. It runs a stock version of Android and is also guaranteed at least two years of OS updates. If you like Xiaomi phones but hate the MIUI Android skin, the Mi A2 just might be up your alley.

Other specs and features include a 3,000mAh battery, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 20MP selfie snapper. It’s available in India and a number of European markets, but not the U.S.

Specs

5.99-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 403ppi
Snapdragon 660 chipset
4/6GB of RAM
32/64/128GB of on-board storage, non-expandable
Dual 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
Non-removable 3,000mAh battery
Android 8.1 Oreo
158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3mm, 166g

Get it from Xiaomi

Nokia 2

nokia 2 on table

This is the cheapest phone on this list — it will only set you back $90. It has a massive 4,100mAh battery, which should last around two days, and it also runs stock Android (like the rest of Nokia’s phones). These three things make the Nokia 2 one of the best cheap phones out there.

The Nokia 2 doesn’t impress in the specs department, but it can handle basics like email, social media, and so on. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 212 chipset, with 1GB of RAM and a 5-inch HD display. It also features a basic 8MP camera, has 8GB of expandable storage, and IP52 drip protection.

The sturdy device has an aluminum frame and a polycarbonate back. It ships with Nougat on board but can be upgraded to Android 8.1 Oreo. If you’re not a heavy user and just want something cheap, the Nokia 2 is definitely a phone to consider.

nokia 2 back side

Specs

5.0-inch IPS LCD display with 1,280 x 720 resolution, 294ppi
Snapdragon 212 chipset
1GB of RAM
8GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 4,100 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
143.5 x 71.3 x 9.3mm, 161g

Get it on Amazon

OnePlus 6T

At $549, the OnePlus 6T is definitely the most expensive device on our list of the best cheap phones. It’s still considered affordable, offering similar specs as the best phones on the market but still comes in way cheaper. That’s always been a hallmark of the OnePlus brand, and it continues with the OnePlus 6T.

This phone has the latest and greatest specs available: the Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6 or 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. It also has fantastic build quality, solid cameras, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. There’s a big 6.41-inch AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 6 and a small waterdrop notch, along with a large 3,700mAh battery with OnePlus’ fast charging technology, and Android 9 Pie is installed out of the box.

Best of all, if you don’t want to pay $549 out of the box, you can get the phone via T-Mobile on a monthly payment plan — if you can live with a few minor issues and restrictions.

Specs

6.41-inch Optic AMOLED display with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution resolution, 402ppi
Snapdragon 845 chipset
6/8GB of RAM
128/256GB of on-board storage, non-expandable
16MP and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
Non-removable 3,700mAh battery
Android 9 Pie
157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm, 185g

Get it from OnePlus

Pocophone F1

pocophone f1

If you regularly follow Android-related news, you’ve definitely heard of the Pocophone F1. Made by Xiaomi, the phone offers great value for the money. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset and sports 6 or 8GB of RAM, just like the Galaxy Note 9. It also features a rear dual-camera setup, a 4,000mAh battery, and a 6.18-inch Full HD display.

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I wouldn’t quite call the Pocophone F1 a flagship. It’s still missing wireless charging and an IP rating for protection against water and dust. It doesn’t have a premium glass or metal design either, sporting a polycarbonate (plastic) back. The phone also can’t compare with the likes of the Huawei P20 Pro and Pixel 2 XL in terms of camera performance.

Regardless, it offers a fantastic value, starting at just 330 euros (~$390). It’s already available in a number of markets, though the U.S. isn’t one of them.

Specs

6.18-inch IPS LCD display with 2,246 x 1,080 resolution, 403ppi
Snapdragon 845 chipset
6/8GB of RAM
64/128/256GB of on-board storage, expandable up to 256GB
Dual 12 and 5MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
Android 8.1 Oreo
155.5 x 75.3 x 8.8mm, 180g

Get it from Xiaomi

Honor 8x

The Honor 8x is yet another cheap phone with high-end features from the Honor brand, starting with its huge 6.5 inch display and its impressive 91 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Inside this massive screen phone you will find Huawei’s in-house Kirin 710 octa-core processor, along with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage. There’s also a large 3,750mAh that should be able to last you up to two days with normal use. The phone has dual rear cameras with 20MP and 2MP sensors, along with a 16MP selfie camera. Best of all, this phone with its huge display and mid-range features is available in Europe with the starting price of 249 euros, or in the U.K. via Amazon for the starting price of 216 pounds.

Specs

6.5-inch IPS LCD display with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 397 ppi
Kirin 710 chipset
4/6GB of RAM
64/128GB of onboard storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
Dual 20 and 2MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera
Non-removable 3,750mAh battery
Android 8.1 Oreo
160.4 x 76.6 x 7.8mm, 175g

Get it from Amazon UK

What do you think are the best cheap phones? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Also feel free share your experience with us regarding some of the cheap phones you’ve owned — good and bad. We always love hearing from you guys.

Next: Best prepaid phone plans | Best LG phones

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